✨2020✨ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ While every ✨2020✨
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While everyone’s life came to a halt mine started to roll.
After a decade of standing still, the signs finally said “Let’s Go!”
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Charting unknown waters, challenging myself.
The best gift this year has been to realize I don’t have to stick to just one. 💫
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One dream. One passion. One niche. One life.
Keeping my door open for anything to happen. ✨
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2020 in no particular order:
- Rescued a homeless kitten and found her a new home.
- Climbed a few cliffs (literally) and (figuratively) jumped from some.
- Dived deep into shadow work and Human Design. 
- Spent more time playing Township and The Sims than on Instagram. 
- My cat got bitten and almost died. 
- Read a bunch of books on money, investing and how to unblock subconscious lies.
- Baked a lot. 
- Celebrated 10yrs together with my ❤️
- It’s getting quite late I should probably wrap this thing up. 😅

Happy New Year everyone! 🥳
✨ A simple guide to US Avéne RetrinAL alternat ✨ A simple guide to US Avéne RetrinAL alternatives in Europe.✨
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I've been waiting for Avéne to bring the RetrinAL-range to Europe, and maybe you have too? Well, apparently, it's been here all along! 💁🏻‍♀️ I've contacted Avéne Sweden to get information and confirmation about the strengths to be as accurate as possible. Here's a little cheat sheet for you 👇🏼
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✨ RetrinAL 0.1 Cream = A-Oxitive Night Peeling cream
- Fragrance-free. 0.1% retinal. Has the exact same formula.
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✨ RetrinAL 0.05 Cream ≈ PhysioLift Night Balm
- Fragranced. Not exactly the same formula, but has 0.05% strength. Made to target more mature skin with deep wrinkles and sagginess with Ascofilline. Their now discontinued Ysthéal Cream had the same exact formula.
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✨ RetrinAL Eyes = PhysioLift Eye Cream
- Same formula. 0.015% retinal.
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✨ RetrinAL Advanced Wrinkle Corrector = PhysioLift Precision Wrinkle Filler
- Same exact formula. However, it's being discontinued so I didn't get what strength it had 😶
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✨ RetrinAL Day Cream = PhysioLift Day Smoothing Cream
- Same exact formula. Despite its name, doesn’t contain any retinal. Fragranced.
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➕ Other Avéne products with Retinal:
New Cleanance Smoothing Night cream 
– Replaces the now discontinued TriAcneal Expert (still called TriAcneal in the US though) and is specifically formulated for adult acne-prone skin. It has 0.1% Retinal. Fragranced.
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A-Oxitive Smoothing Eye Contour Cream
– Has 0.01575% retinal. Fragrance-free.
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Have you tried Avéne's products with retinaldehyde? 
I've posted my thoughts on the PhysioLift and Cleanance night creams on the blog! (link in bio)
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#avene #retinal #retrinal #aveneretrinal #antiage #acne #physiolift #cleanance #skincareobsessed #skincarecommunity #skincareblogger #skönhet #skönhetstips #skönhetsblogg
Show us your face Show some skin Show us something Show us your face
Show some skin
Show us something even if it is fake
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Give us a smile
Tell us a lie
Connect more by starting to cry
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Showing my dislike by feeling resistant
To do what it takes to be in this present
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I hate you so much or I hate myself more
That I can’t act the way you’re supposed to
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I just can’t support this behavior
Don’t wanna become anyone’s guru or savior
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
When are you going to stop seeking advice,
From people who knows no more than what works for themselves
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Young people thinking they know a lot,
Because they did some research on Google and blogs
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This space is filled with young impressionable heads
Someday they’ll grow up but not today
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Be thoughtful of what you’re spreading online
You might do damage to somebody’s life
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Unsolicitedly pointing out your faults
Indirectly spreading doubt in everyone’s thoughts
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It’s a pandemic, reaching for extremes
Losing what actually matters and what can’t be fixed 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Stop being a follower, stop trying to show the way
It is time for everyone to learn it’s all in themselves.
⏱ 5min Makeup ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ .Tarte ⏱ 5min Makeup
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.Tarte BB Primer in Medium
It’s very similar to the BareMinerals BB Primer but in a better packaging. The Tarte primer can be a little matte looking though.
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.Milk Makeup Lip+Cheek in Werk
Surprised at how much product you get in the mini! Werk is a beautiful and neutral shade that will suit most complexions. I don't understand why it has citrus oils 🤨 but will nonetheless get it in Rally too. 😄
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.Milk Makeup Fiber Brow Gel in Dutch
My very first brow-mascara and I’m very pleased! It won’t fill in gaps, you still need a pencil for that, but will make brows look bushier. I recently had a period of fallout, and I believe the brow gel has helped with regrowth! My brows seem much thicker than before and I haven’t reached for it as often. If I repurchase, I’ll probably go for a shade lighter. Dutch was a perfect match, but slightly too dark for my liking. 
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.Too Faced Sculpt concealer Neutral Beige
I'm one of the lucky to have my shade match in the travel size. However, the product I got wasn't mixed very well. 🙇🏻‍♀️ So the shade is slightly darker than what it's actually supposed to be. You get a good amount in this little bottle and you only need the tiniest bit. However, I won't be going back to it as the formula doesn't seem very well mixed and I will never be able to finish the full size in time.
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.Nars Lipstick in Tolede*
Thanks to Sephora for getting me hooked on expensive lipstick! 😂  Tolede is such a beautiful and universal shade. I so want to repurchase but I probably can live without...
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.RMS Master Mixer*
Had it for 3 years and I’m not even at the bottom of it! 😅 I’ve had to throw away the Signature Set* as it was smelling kind of rancid. But the Master Mixer pot is holding strong. However, I think it’s time for a replacement. Don’t overestimate old makeup! Your skin will thank you. ✨
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ What started innocent ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
What started innocent became so serious. 
From filter and frames to FaceTune and fame. 
10 years on Instagram and I am mostly the same. 
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I might never get it as I came on here too early. 
It has another meaning than growing a following, likes and making money.
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I should’ve shown more face, I should’ve shown more skin. 
Maybe then, you’d find me on the discovery page? 
Maybe photos of my ass would have hold your attention 
or flexing my superior wisdom?
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Most of you joined less than five years ago. 
The other Alumni’s seems to have left the platform. 
It’s not what it used to be.
Not saying it’s a bad thing. 
Just saying the vibe here has become whiny and depressing. 
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But it’s not how you have it, it’s how you take it. 
The reality is that, I decide what gets to show up on my feed.
And it might not be diverse enough, but it makes me happy. 
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I post less now than I used to do.
It’s because I want a life where I’m not exposed to everyone’s opinion and caring what others think, say or do.
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With all that said, 10 years later I’m still here. 
Happy 10th Birthday 🎉  and perhaps to many more!
For how much longer? I really don’t know...
Despite not being a huge coffee drinker I've exper Despite not being a huge coffee drinker I've experienced my teeth yellowing as I've gotten older. I haven't really been able to combat it as every time I switch my toothpaste, especially to a whitening one, I get terrible toothaches! My gums are quite sensitive... 🙇🏻‍♀️ Anyone else who can relate?
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I was thinking about getting one of those teeth whitening kits and then I got approached by @thesmileo and couldn't say no. Their products are peroxide-free and a more gentle alternative. I can tell you right off the bat that my gums did not feel any discomfort! 😁 For the results, you'll have to jump over to my blog and read! (link in bio!)
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✨ If you've been interested to brighten your smile a notch or two, use the code isabel10 at the checkout at smileo.se for 10% off your order! ✨
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How do you keep your smile white? 🙂
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#gifted #smileo #notaffiliated #teethwhitening #teethwhiteningkit #beautyblog #beautyblogger #skönhet #tandvård #vitaretänder #crueltyfree #whiteteeth #beautycommunity #teethcare
A few meltdowns and veterinary bills later... Ev A few meltdowns and veterinary bills later... 

Everything that could go wrong did 🙇🏻‍♀️ But I think we’re finally on our way to put this behind us 🤞🏼 I’ll spare you nasty wounds and share cute cone cat 😄
Some new things I've been testing since spring. 👇🏼🌸
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💕Deviant GRL
I got this for Christmas but didn't crack it open until around May. I've learned it's best to only have one exfoliator on rotation. So I wanted to finish some before moving towards the next.
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I don't have much to add to the conversations about this one.
It's somewhat gentle to what I'm used to. Meaning, I don't wake up feeling a huge difference in my skin. But in a way, that's a good thing! 😄 It doesn't sensitize the skin and disrupts my retinol use. Usually, it's a battle of having to balance the use of both. But with the GRL I've been able to use both interchangeably without accidentally damaging my skin barrier. 👍🏼
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💕Allies Of Skin
Six months ago I managed to get my hands on two tubes (second hand) of the (now called) Peptides & Antioxidants Day Treatment for about €10 each. 😱 You don’t pass up a deal like it. 
 
I see it as a serum and moisturizer in one. For the price, I don't think we should expect anything less. This and some spf should suffice after your morning rinse. 
My complexion seems more even with consistent use, and redness from blemishes has become less visible. ✨
During early spring I found it to not be completely hydrating enough though, so I spice it up with drops of oil. 
Overall, I've been loving and enjoying this one so far! However, I don't deem it a necessity for my skin as no life-changing difference was found when I took a break before opening the second one. 
It's more of a high tech cream that redeems results in the long term. 
This cream has definitely sparked interest in trying more from AoS. I recently got the Promise Keeper Blemish Facial that I'm excited to use!
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[Continues 👇🏼]
I've rewritten this text a bunch of times to the p I've rewritten this text a bunch of times to the point that it started to rhyme. So if it rhymes in some places and others not, it's only my silly wise head trying to express my thoughts.
It's hard to stop once you go, in many ways, it can be applied how weeks turned into months.
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Somewhere along the way, I lost clarity. For every year that passed, I felt more and more unhappy. Frustration, sadness, and envy. My misanthropic side was getting the best of me.
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It took me years to admit to myself that I'm depressed. I kept pushing although my body screamed for recess. I felt swallowed by hate and frustration, getting triggered on a daily basis. I was looping a bad pattern and losing myself in the battle.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I finally did what my soul had asked for. Disappear and become a total no one. This break was written in the stars, as it coincidently happened while my Saturn Returned.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I climbed up on the rooftop. With a birds-eye view, I contemplated a lot. 
Learning things about myself that I kept pushing aside. 
Stuff I already knew but couldn't accept. 
Stuff I already knew but didn't think I was allowed to express.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I thought many times on when to return. But every time I set a date, something else took the spotlight in the world.
But I have to admit, it's been nice to not take turns. To keep my mouth shut and not voice my opinion.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
More than six months passed and I feel happy again. 
I found myself and integrated. 
I missed this part of me, the one who used to be so creative. Not caring what others thought, only caring about my next adventure.
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There's more to share than this space allows. I'll continue to share what my soul desires. As a heads up, this will gradually affect the future of my content and direction. But from experience, when you lose some you gain a new and clearer reflection. ✨
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  • Blog
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Beauty, Makeup · October 19, 2016

MAC Waterweight Foundation NC30

MAC Waterweight Foundation NC30 Review

I stopped wearing foundation on a daily basis since the beginning of 2013 when my skin just came to such a level of bad that there was no point in covering it up. While covering up acne for photo shoots may work, I personally think the covering up looks very obvious IRL. It can look tacky and does no good for your skin. As soon as I stopped smothering my face with foundation, even the mineral-based ones, my skin started to get better. Still had acne as it wasn’t product-related, but it definitely calmed down by 10%, which is much when having severe breakouts!

Since then, I’ve stuck to mineral/powder foundations, buying samples here and there and here. But I never really felt 100% comfortable with it on. So it’s been years since I used a liquid foundation or a foundation at all. I decided to put my bad experience behind, as I like to think that within these three years the foundations must have improved!


What do I look for in a foundation?

I’m probably the odd one when it comes to picking a foundation in contrast to other people suffering from acne and acne scars; I want my foundation as sheer and natural looking as possible. That means no full coverage, no complete matte finish, and definitely nothing thick. Because I have quite normal skin, I don’t mind some luminosity or a dewy finish, as long as the foundation doesn’t feel too heavy.

In a way, what I want won’t cover any blemishes. But I think most of us should confess that that’s not a foundation’s job to do – That’s where a concealer comes into play. I simply want a foundation to bring “health” to my face; cancel out any redness and make my skin color look a bit more even but not made up.


MAC Waterweight Foundation NC30 Review

MAC Waterweight SPF 30 Foundation / Smashbox BB Water Foundation

★★★★★

Before I jump into the review, let me clear out why I’m using MAC which technically isn’t cruelty-free… And why does it also say Smashbox Camera Ready BB Water SPF 30 (read update) in the title? Well, it’s a lil’ complicated…

Same formula, different brands

Both companies are owned by Estée Lauder, and so it’s not unusual for brands within the same parent company to have the same formulated products! In this case, we have two similar if not the exact foundations, but two different brands: Smashbox, which is a cruelty-free brand; while MAC has decided to sell in China but work with the Institute for In Vitro Sciences to spread and educate about cruelty-free ways to test products. Because they have the same exact formula, you could say in many ways that this product has been animal tested by default. And therefore we wonder how and why Smashbox is still selling it?
UPDATE: Estee Lauder Double Wear Nude Foundation is also an exact dupe!
UPDATE 2020: Smashbox has sadly discontinued the BB Water Foundation!

I personally don’t want to be militant about this or make stuff look like a chore. Because the whole “boycotting brands and companies” to me is ridiculous. As that would technically mean I can’t buy groceries or go out to eat. Because hey, they serve and support the meat industry, and I can’t give my money to that! Not to mention how organic foods are actually fertilized with waste from the meat industry = I shouldn’t eat organic either? Then this hypocritical layer of people caring that it’s cruelty-free but still eat meat? Nothing is as black and white as some likes to think of it. Most of this is just too confusing and unnecessary behavior! Whatever good you do, keep doing it. Try to evolve, but don’t feel the need to become all purist and shit. The world is enough complicated as it is.

Now, my first choice was actually to try out the new 100% Pure’s new 2nd Skin Foundation. But as my luck would have it, my potential shade has been out of stock for months! This lead me to search further, and I came across the Smashbox Camera Ready BB Water Foundation which sounded much similar. What was great with this one was that I could go get samples of it. So I took home the shades Light/Medium and Medium shade and fell in love. However, I happened to have a bunch of discounts on a particular beauty store that does not sell Smashbox but sell MAC instead. And when I found out that the MAC Waterweight foundation was practically a dupe, I figured I could buy the MAC foundation just this one time and save me some bucks. Would they’ve had Smashbox, I would’ve purchased that one instead, as I already knew my color match. But considering they are very much the same formula – and I’m sorry to be frugal to the point I cross morals – I went and ordered the foundation from MAC instead.

Because these two products are so similar and I’ve tested them both out, I will review them both interchangeably in this review.

MAC Waterweight Foundation NC30 Review

A 2-in-1 Product

MAC Waterweight foundation is described as:

  • Oil-free formulation with built-in primer water technology that creates a liquid silk-consistency to glide easily onto your face and moves with the skin.
  • Demi-matte, never flat finish with buildable coverage and Photoset Polymers create all-day wear.
  • Moisture-Fusion Complex provides immediate and all-day hydration leaving skin feeling quenched and silky to the touch.
  • Includes antioxidants and reparative ingredients as vitamin E, lecithin, apple, lentil and watermelon extract, and sodium hyaluronate.
  • Formulated without Parabens, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Phthalates, Oil, Fragrance & Talc.
  • Features SPF 30 sun protection (in the form of Octinoxate 5%, Titanium Dioxide 3.1%, Zinc Oxide 2.1%)

I was very into buying a Tinted Moisturizer at first. But then I came across Glossier’s Skin Tint, which basically can be used alone or blended with your regular moisturizer. However, they only ship within the states. But the whole idea of custom blending foundation with your moisturizer sparked my interest and I started to look into foundations that could be used for this purpose.
CoverFX Custom Drops foundation was then a candidate. But not being able to get samples, I was worried about the shade not matching. And it’s a bit pricey to be spending on the wrong shade.

I love the whole “makeup meets skincare”-concept, where your makeup also is beneficial for your skin. Like the formula we found in W3LL People’s concealer, which doubles as an eye cream too! And so it leads me to look up “Serum Foundations” like this one from Smashbox.

But before I found the Smashbox BB Water Foundation, I tried my luck with samples of the BareMinerals bareSkin Pure Brightening Serum Foundation (omg, all these ultra-long names!). However, I found the colors to be a bit too pigmented which made it hard for me to find a good color match. I also didn’t like that it was too easy to go full coverage. I don’t want to speak for all foundations out there, but when having scars, full coverage makes the indents much more obvious. Not to mention, full coverage doesn’t look natural and makes you look “too made up” in daytime for my taste. The ingredients on it looked good, it had a built-in SPF, but something about it wasn’t agreeing with my skin. After a day’s wear it starts to feel heavy and like I feel it on, and as a result, a few whiteheads popped up. So I definitely recommend asking for samples before purchasing any foundation! Not only will you get the shade more right, but you get to see how well it reacts with your skin!

Look & Feel

This Serum foundation needs to be shaken well before use. It gives you a very sheer coverage that can be layered to medium – but barely. This blends out beautifully and doesn’t leave your scars more prominent looking, it looks incredibly natural on your skin. I like to think of it as your skin, but even better. It’s neither matte or too moisturizing, but I definitely found that it adjusts to what base you have under. So if your moisturizer or primer is matte, it will go more to matte. If your cream is more dewy-looking, it will turn into a very luminous look.

With that said… Though this foundation feels hydrating, it may cling to dry patches. And I suggest dry skin types blend it with a hydrating primer or moisturizer of some sort, as well as exfoliating regularly with BHA or AHA. Otherwise, I do think it’s a good foundation for plain dry skin that does not have the flakiness.
And for very oily skin types, you may have good luck with applying a matte primer. But because of this foundation’s hydrating properties, blotting might be needed at the end of the day depending on your preference. I personally love the look and feel of it alone! and don’t feel the need to put finishing powder over as that would ruin the natural 2:nd skin look that I’m going for.

But yeah, overall this foundation has a sort of “primer”-feature to it and sinks in just like a serum and lightly blurs any imperfections. I barely feel like I have it on, it’s like another layer of skincare to me. Just the way I want my foundation to be!

Because it’s so sheer, you do need to use more than 1-3 drops to go to a medium coverage. But I guess finishing it off with a powder, you may save on some of the product. But it goes on very nicely on the skin and blends well with just your fingers. I don’t feel like a makeup brush or sponge is even necessary to use to apply this foundation.

Since it has low coverage, it’s okay to be one shade off as long as the undertone matches. But the sad part is that, because of its sheer formula, it’s not as easily mixed with your moisturizer as I thought. 3 drops of this, and it barely looks as if you have any foundation on. And so for that reason, I’m still looking into the CoverFX Custom Cover Drops – which is so highly pigmented, that only 2 drops are needed for a medium coverage!

So in contrast to the bareSkin foundation serum, this doesn’t make me look like I have foundation on. My boyfriend will always notice and ask if I got makeup on before hugging him to prevent any transfer to his shirt. Now on days, I wear foundation he’s like, “Your skin looks really good!” Not even suspecting that it could be the foundation. And that’s what any lady wants to hear!

Compared to the bareSkin foundation serum that made me breakout a little, the MAC/Smashbox foundation has not affected my skin as negatively. I still can get a few pores clogged with longer wear than 8 hours. As my skin will usually become oily at the end of the day with foundation on. But I guess that’s just the nature of foundation, I can’t wear them all day long. At least this one doesn’t feel heavy or irritating on me. But overall I find this foundation quite the opposite, as I some days feel like my skin is really benefiting from the formula!

MAC Waterweight Foundation NC30 Review

Shade

I’ve been wearing SPF 50 all through the summer, and I’m surprised that my face didn’t stay pale white! The shade ‘Light/Medium’ from Smashbox BB Water Foundation is described as “Golden Medium Beige”. And it was a perfect match to my face tone. However, ‘Medium’, described as “Natural Tan”, was a perfect match to my overall tanned body color/decolletage. And so for reference, ‘Medium’ would totally work as my summer shade and ‘Light/Medium’ for winter time. People who do a lot of contouring and use bronzers might go for a shade lighter. But the general rule of thumb is to actually match your foundation to a shade somewhere in-between your decolletage and your face color. Not too light, not too dark.

Smashbox BB Water foundation only offer 8 shades (but may extend this in the future) while MAC Waterweight foundation offers 23 shades.
Because my skin tone is within the general population/selection, choosing a shade from MAC felt very overwhelming. Of course, depending on the formula and pigment of a product, I for one like it when shades are as simple as ‘Light’ or ‘Medium’. But I do feel that someone with more pinks in their undertone would appreciate the shade selection from MAC more. But this foundation is so sheer and blendable that I find it hard to see how the 8 shades Smashbox offers isn’t enough? But I can be wrong, and so sampling before a purchase is always recommended.

There’s no MAC counter nearby where I live. So I took help from Temptalia to find me a close match to Smashbox’s BB Water in ‘Medium’. It came out to be NC30. But as you see in the picture comparison, NC30 is even slightly lighter than ‘Light/Medium’! I got a bit shocked by this when I got the foundation. Also relieved that I didn’t go with NC25, which was in my mind as it’s starting to turn into winter. But like I said before, thanks to its sheer formula, one shade lighter or darker, doesn’t really matter. It blends right in and adjusts a bit. And NC30 works and will work wonderfully with my winter skin.

MAC Waterweight Foundation NC30 Swatch, Smashbox BB Water foundation Light/Medium and Medium Swatch
MAC Waterweight NC30 Swatch, Smashbox BB Water foundation Light/Medium and Medium Swatch
First image: MAC Waterweight Foundation NC30 Swatch, Smashbox BB Water Foundation Light/Medium and Medium; Second image: Blended.

Packaging

Both foundations come in a glass bottle with a dropper. Smashbox BB Water foundation does have a slightly different dropper, one of which you click at the top to suck product into the pipette.
I personally find the MAC bottle more attractive and picture perfect, while Smashbox’s looks a bit on the cheap side with the glued-on-label. But it’s all aesthetic looking. I haven’t had any trouble with the dropper, and it dispenses the perfect amount to use at each cheek.

Price

Although they are basically the same formula, for some reason the MAC Waterweight foundation is slightly cheaper than the Smashbox BB water foundation? At the same time, MAC offers way more shades to choose from and a much more insta-worty bottle. I don’t know where this cost may come from. Could it be that Smashbox is supposed to seem more like a “high end” brand? Is it because MAC has a bigger fan base/stores (more consumers = cheaper pricing)? Or does that bunny logo cost extra? But definitely, something to keep in mind and complain about.

Ingredient Highlight

The MAC Waterweight and Smashbox BB Water foundation contain Thermus Thermophillus Ferment Extract, which is a powerful antioxidant, that’s activated by heat and light. Its benefits can be comparable to vitamin E, and is a nice addition to a makeup product.  This ferment is derived from deep-sea hydrothermal vents and has a unique ability to help protect skins DNA. It provides a self-adjusting enzyme activity, fibroblast protection, and cell membrane protection while helping to combat free radical damage.

Six months of use showed to prevented five years of aging. As the Ferment Extract worked to protect against age spots, wrinkles, and blemishes. It showed to also work to:

  • Stimulate keratinocyte differentiation and maturation
  • Strengthen stratum corneum resistance against aggression – protecting against UV damage
  • Restore the cutaneous barrier quality
  • Reduce water loss after an induced lesion
  • Increase ceramide production
  • Inspire healthy oxygenation

I reacted with a laugh when I read someone’s comment on a forum about this sea bug extract:
“I don’t understand the meaning of ‘prevent 5 years of aging in 6 months’. So, you use the product for 6 months, and then for 6 months and 4 years you don’t age??” And I must agree, it’s quite confusing, but sounds very appealing! :)

MAC Waterweight Foundation Review

Conclusion

In all honesty, this is THE BEST foundation I’ve tried and owned so far during my lifetime!

All my suspicions that foundations have gotten better with time has been proven right. My experiences with foundation (including mineral-based ones) in the past have always been one where I “feel them” at the end of the day. And like a pair of jeans, I only wear them when I must to look good, but can’t wait to take them off as soon as I get home. But this is the first time I don’t feel that way with a foundation. It might be heavily dependent on skin type, but after 8 hours I don’t feel that “dirty” like I usually do. At. All.
Even when I build it up to medium coverage, my skin feels like skin: hydrated and normal. Because it’s sheer, it’s hard to tell if it stays put, but I feel confident about my skin throughout the day is all I can tell!

The only con about this foundation is its complicated moralistic issue on whether it is cruelty-free or not. And unless I find another foundation that feels similar, and hopefully cheaper, I’m sticking to this one. It’s very hard for me to find a liquid foundation that I like, and I don’t even write about half the samples I bring home here on the blog. Nonetheless, I’m still very much interested in trying out the 100% Pure 2nd Skin Foundation with Squalane. It has a few ingredients that I don’t think should be in a face product, but I’m intrigued by the reviews!

Note that this is a sheer foundation! It will look as if you have nothing on. If you’re looking for something with medium to full coverage, you need to look elsewhere – Like the bareSkin Foundation Serum. It’s also not a “natural” foundation and does contain silicons – if that’s something you avoid. But overall it does not contain fragrance and got a sophisticated and light formula that shouldn’t be pore clogging or irritating to sensitive skin. But hey, anything can break you out as long as you don’t wash your face!

Beautypedia Review

Products Mentioned


Thank you for sticking through this long review!
Have you managed to try these new hybrid-make up products?
Share your experience and thoughts in the comments below!

In: Beauty, Makeup · Tagged: MAC, Smashbox

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✨2020✨ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ While every ✨2020✨
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While everyone’s life came to a halt mine started to roll.
After a decade of standing still, the signs finally said “Let’s Go!”
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Charting unknown waters, challenging myself.
The best gift this year has been to realize I don’t have to stick to just one. 💫
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
One dream. One passion. One niche. One life.
Keeping my door open for anything to happen. ✨
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
2020 in no particular order:
- Rescued a homeless kitten and found her a new home.
- Climbed a few cliffs (literally) and (figuratively) jumped from some.
- Dived deep into shadow work and Human Design. 
- Spent more time playing Township and The Sims than on Instagram. 
- My cat got bitten and almost died. 
- Read a bunch of books on money, investing and how to unblock subconscious lies.
- Baked a lot. 
- Celebrated 10yrs together with my ❤️
- It’s getting quite late I should probably wrap this thing up. 😅

Happy New Year everyone! 🥳
✨ A simple guide to US Avéne RetrinAL alternat ✨ A simple guide to US Avéne RetrinAL alternatives in Europe.✨
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I've been waiting for Avéne to bring the RetrinAL-range to Europe, and maybe you have too? Well, apparently, it's been here all along! 💁🏻‍♀️ I've contacted Avéne Sweden to get information and confirmation about the strengths to be as accurate as possible. Here's a little cheat sheet for you 👇🏼
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✨ RetrinAL 0.1 Cream = A-Oxitive Night Peeling cream
- Fragrance-free. 0.1% retinal. Has the exact same formula.
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✨ RetrinAL 0.05 Cream ≈ PhysioLift Night Balm
- Fragranced. Not exactly the same formula, but has 0.05% strength. Made to target more mature skin with deep wrinkles and sagginess with Ascofilline. Their now discontinued Ysthéal Cream had the same exact formula.
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✨ RetrinAL Eyes = PhysioLift Eye Cream
- Same formula. 0.015% retinal.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
✨ RetrinAL Advanced Wrinkle Corrector = PhysioLift Precision Wrinkle Filler
- Same exact formula. However, it's being discontinued so I didn't get what strength it had 😶
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✨ RetrinAL Day Cream = PhysioLift Day Smoothing Cream
- Same exact formula. Despite its name, doesn’t contain any retinal. Fragranced.
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➕ Other Avéne products with Retinal:
New Cleanance Smoothing Night cream 
– Replaces the now discontinued TriAcneal Expert (still called TriAcneal in the US though) and is specifically formulated for adult acne-prone skin. It has 0.1% Retinal. Fragranced.
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A-Oxitive Smoothing Eye Contour Cream
– Has 0.01575% retinal. Fragrance-free.
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Have you tried Avéne's products with retinaldehyde? 
I've posted my thoughts on the PhysioLift and Cleanance night creams on the blog! (link in bio)
.
.
.
#avene #retinal #retrinal #aveneretrinal #antiage #acne #physiolift #cleanance #skincareobsessed #skincarecommunity #skincareblogger #skönhet #skönhetstips #skönhetsblogg
Show us your face Show some skin Show us something Show us your face
Show some skin
Show us something even if it is fake
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Give us a smile
Tell us a lie
Connect more by starting to cry
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Showing my dislike by feeling resistant
To do what it takes to be in this present
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I hate you so much or I hate myself more
That I can’t act the way you’re supposed to
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I just can’t support this behavior
Don’t wanna become anyone’s guru or savior
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
When are you going to stop seeking advice,
From people who knows no more than what works for themselves
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Young people thinking they know a lot,
Because they did some research on Google and blogs
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
This space is filled with young impressionable heads
Someday they’ll grow up but not today
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Be thoughtful of what you’re spreading online
You might do damage to somebody’s life
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Unsolicitedly pointing out your faults
Indirectly spreading doubt in everyone’s thoughts
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It’s a pandemic, reaching for extremes
Losing what actually matters and what can’t be fixed 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Stop being a follower, stop trying to show the way
It is time for everyone to learn it’s all in themselves.
⏱ 5min Makeup ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ .Tarte ⏱ 5min Makeup
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.Tarte BB Primer in Medium
It’s very similar to the BareMinerals BB Primer but in a better packaging. The Tarte primer can be a little matte looking though.
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.Milk Makeup Lip+Cheek in Werk
Surprised at how much product you get in the mini! Werk is a beautiful and neutral shade that will suit most complexions. I don't understand why it has citrus oils 🤨 but will nonetheless get it in Rally too. 😄
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.Milk Makeup Fiber Brow Gel in Dutch
My very first brow-mascara and I’m very pleased! It won’t fill in gaps, you still need a pencil for that, but will make brows look bushier. I recently had a period of fallout, and I believe the brow gel has helped with regrowth! My brows seem much thicker than before and I haven’t reached for it as often. If I repurchase, I’ll probably go for a shade lighter. Dutch was a perfect match, but slightly too dark for my liking. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
.Too Faced Sculpt concealer Neutral Beige
I'm one of the lucky to have my shade match in the travel size. However, the product I got wasn't mixed very well. 🙇🏻‍♀️ So the shade is slightly darker than what it's actually supposed to be. You get a good amount in this little bottle and you only need the tiniest bit. However, I won't be going back to it as the formula doesn't seem very well mixed and I will never be able to finish the full size in time.
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.Nars Lipstick in Tolede*
Thanks to Sephora for getting me hooked on expensive lipstick! 😂  Tolede is such a beautiful and universal shade. I so want to repurchase but I probably can live without...
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
.RMS Master Mixer*
Had it for 3 years and I’m not even at the bottom of it! 😅 I’ve had to throw away the Signature Set* as it was smelling kind of rancid. But the Master Mixer pot is holding strong. However, I think it’s time for a replacement. Don’t overestimate old makeup! Your skin will thank you. ✨
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ What started innocent ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
What started innocent became so serious. 
From filter and frames to FaceTune and fame. 
10 years on Instagram and I am mostly the same. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I might never get it as I came on here too early. 
It has another meaning than growing a following, likes and making money.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I should’ve shown more face, I should’ve shown more skin. 
Maybe then, you’d find me on the discovery page? 
Maybe photos of my ass would have hold your attention 
or flexing my superior wisdom?
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Most of you joined less than five years ago. 
The other Alumni’s seems to have left the platform. 
It’s not what it used to be.
Not saying it’s a bad thing. 
Just saying the vibe here has become whiny and depressing. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
But it’s not how you have it, it’s how you take it. 
The reality is that, I decide what gets to show up on my feed.
And it might not be diverse enough, but it makes me happy. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I post less now than I used to do.
It’s because I want a life where I’m not exposed to everyone’s opinion and caring what others think, say or do.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
With all that said, 10 years later I’m still here. 
Happy 10th Birthday 🎉  and perhaps to many more!
For how much longer? I really don’t know...
Despite not being a huge coffee drinker I've exper Despite not being a huge coffee drinker I've experienced my teeth yellowing as I've gotten older. I haven't really been able to combat it as every time I switch my toothpaste, especially to a whitening one, I get terrible toothaches! My gums are quite sensitive... 🙇🏻‍♀️ Anyone else who can relate?
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I was thinking about getting one of those teeth whitening kits and then I got approached by @thesmileo and couldn't say no. Their products are peroxide-free and a more gentle alternative. I can tell you right off the bat that my gums did not feel any discomfort! 😁 For the results, you'll have to jump over to my blog and read! (link in bio!)
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
✨ If you've been interested to brighten your smile a notch or two, use the code isabel10 at the checkout at smileo.se for 10% off your order! ✨
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How do you keep your smile white? 🙂
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
#gifted #smileo #notaffiliated #teethwhitening #teethwhiteningkit #beautyblog #beautyblogger #skönhet #tandvård #vitaretänder #crueltyfree #whiteteeth #beautycommunity #teethcare
A few meltdowns and veterinary bills later... Ev A few meltdowns and veterinary bills later... 

Everything that could go wrong did 🙇🏻‍♀️ But I think we’re finally on our way to put this behind us 🤞🏼 I’ll spare you nasty wounds and share cute cone cat 😄
Some new things I've been testing since spring. 👇🏼🌸
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
💕Deviant GRL
I got this for Christmas but didn't crack it open until around May. I've learned it's best to only have one exfoliator on rotation. So I wanted to finish some before moving towards the next.
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I don't have much to add to the conversations about this one.
It's somewhat gentle to what I'm used to. Meaning, I don't wake up feeling a huge difference in my skin. But in a way, that's a good thing! 😄 It doesn't sensitize the skin and disrupts my retinol use. Usually, it's a battle of having to balance the use of both. But with the GRL I've been able to use both interchangeably without accidentally damaging my skin barrier. 👍🏼
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💕Allies Of Skin
Six months ago I managed to get my hands on two tubes (second hand) of the (now called) Peptides & Antioxidants Day Treatment for about €10 each. 😱 You don’t pass up a deal like it. 
 
I see it as a serum and moisturizer in one. For the price, I don't think we should expect anything less. This and some spf should suffice after your morning rinse. 
My complexion seems more even with consistent use, and redness from blemishes has become less visible. ✨
During early spring I found it to not be completely hydrating enough though, so I spice it up with drops of oil. 
Overall, I've been loving and enjoying this one so far! However, I don't deem it a necessity for my skin as no life-changing difference was found when I took a break before opening the second one. 
It's more of a high tech cream that redeems results in the long term. 
This cream has definitely sparked interest in trying more from AoS. I recently got the Promise Keeper Blemish Facial that I'm excited to use!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
[Continues 👇🏼]
I've rewritten this text a bunch of times to the p I've rewritten this text a bunch of times to the point that it started to rhyme. So if it rhymes in some places and others not, it's only my silly wise head trying to express my thoughts.
It's hard to stop once you go, in many ways, it can be applied how weeks turned into months.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Somewhere along the way, I lost clarity. For every year that passed, I felt more and more unhappy. Frustration, sadness, and envy. My misanthropic side was getting the best of me.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It took me years to admit to myself that I'm depressed. I kept pushing although my body screamed for recess. I felt swallowed by hate and frustration, getting triggered on a daily basis. I was looping a bad pattern and losing myself in the battle.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I finally did what my soul had asked for. Disappear and become a total no one. This break was written in the stars, as it coincidently happened while my Saturn Returned.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I climbed up on the rooftop. With a birds-eye view, I contemplated a lot. 
Learning things about myself that I kept pushing aside. 
Stuff I already knew but couldn't accept. 
Stuff I already knew but didn't think I was allowed to express.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I thought many times on when to return. But every time I set a date, something else took the spotlight in the world.
But I have to admit, it's been nice to not take turns. To keep my mouth shut and not voice my opinion.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
More than six months passed and I feel happy again. 
I found myself and integrated. 
I missed this part of me, the one who used to be so creative. Not caring what others thought, only caring about my next adventure.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
There's more to share than this space allows. I'll continue to share what my soul desires. As a heads up, this will gradually affect the future of my content and direction. But from experience, when you lose some you gain a new and clearer reflection. ✨
At the start of the summer, I learned that the Swe At the start of the summer, I learned that the Swedish brand EVY reformulated almost all of their products making them vegan-friendly! 😀 Now, only the Daily UV 30 has collagen and silk extract.
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I was quick to pick up their new Daily Defense SPF 50.
The specialty with EVY is its very high staying power. Their SPF 50 will protect you up to 8 hours even after taking a 20min swim! If you're someone who forgets to reapply this might be an option.
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EVY seems loved by many. However, for me, it wasn't love at first application and it didn't develop into something serious once I emptied the can. 
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My main issues were:
- The finish wasn't as elegant as the La Roche Posay Shaka Fluid. It says to work great as a primer. Perhaps if you like a gripping effect? I personally had trouble applying makeup on top of this. But when on it stayed all day long. 👍🏼
- Too easy to overdo. They say to apply a "golf ball" for the face. What exactly is a golf ball? 🤔 I found the mousse to be tricky to measure for my tiny sized face. Only 1 out, perhaps, 6 times did I manage to apply a correct and comfortable amount.
- EVY recommends to rinse your face if it still feels sticky after 10 minutes (the high water resistance will make it stay), but when I did that my skin would feel dry and uncomfortable. I just never seemed to find the right balance with my application 🤷🏻‍♀️ 
- My skin just didn't seem to like something about it 🙄... 
I emailed them about my concerns about removal of the product and they replied it should come off with regular face wash. Despite double-cleansing, I could sometimes feel like it was still on.
Or I don't know. I just know my skin behaved better when I used LRP instead of this. 🤷🏻‍♀️ So could be just something else in the formula.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Eventually, I stopped using this on my face and used it up on my body instead. [Continues 👇🏼]

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